Celebrating 100 Years of Insulin
November 15, 2021 at 7:00pm
In partnership with Western University and its hospital partners and research partners, Words is pleased to host a conversation on Sir Frederick Banting’s discovery of insulin as a fledgling doctor and part-time instructor at Western, a discovery that would change the world.
Celebrating 100 Years of Insulin
15 November 2021, 7PM
Featuring Dr. Kristin Clemens, Dr. Robert Hegele, and Dr. Michelle Mottola
Hosted by Grant Maltman, Curator of London's Banting House
Every great breakthrough starts with an idea.
Dr. Frederick Banting’s discovery of insulin began with an idea he had as a young doctor and instructor at Western University in London, Ontario. On October 31, 1920, Banting had just prepared a lecture about the role of the pancreas in digestion and regulating blood sugar. That night, he woke up from a dream and wrote down a hypothesis that became the catalyst in the discovery of insulin.
In 2021, Canada is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin – a discovery that changed the lives of people living with diabetes in Canada and around the world. The discovery of insulin is one of the most important in the history of medicine and one of the most dramatic examples of translational research (basic science to patient care).
This story continues today with more discoveries and innovations aimed at further understanding diabetes and enhancing patients’ lives.
Carrying on Banting’s legacy, the ongoing, collaborative work of London’s research-intensive institutions and hospitals is paving the way for innovation in diabetes research, education and care.
This event will be held in partnership with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, St. Joseph's Health Care London, Lawson Health Research Institute, and the London Health Sciences Centre.
Authors & Presenters
Dr. Robert Hegele
Dr. Robert Hegele is the Jacob J. Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair as well Martha Blackburn Chair in Cardiovascular Research.
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Dr. Kristin Clemens
Dr. Kristin Clemens is an endocrinologist at St. Joseph’s Health Care London and an assistant professor of medicine at Western University
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